Dr. Clyde Del Campbell, 96, of Wheeling, passed away on Monday, June 29, 2026.
Dr. Campbell was born April 1, 1930, in Wheeling, WV, the son of Vera (Speidel) Campbell and Clyde W. Campbell.
A memorial service will be held on the West Liberty University campus in College Hall on Friday, July 17, at noon to celebrate the life of Dr. Campbell.
He was raised in South Wheeling and Warwood and was educated in Ohio County Schools. He was graduated from Warwood High School where his primary focuses were his academics and his athletics. He achieved multiple varsity letters in football, basketball, baseball, and track. Clyde was particularly proud of the fact that he was chosen to play in the 1948 Annual Ohio-West Virginia all-star football game (now known as The Rudy Mumley OVAC All-Star Classic) where he was one of the leading ground gainers for West Virginia in the game.
Clyde enrolled in West Liberty State College and was graduated with a BS in Chemistry and an AB in Mathematics. During his student days at West Liberty, he played varsity basketball for two years, was elected as president of Student Government, and in his senior year, was voted as “Mr. Hilltopper” by the student body.
After his graduation from West Liberty State College, Clyde accepted a research fellowship at North Carolina State University and graduated with a master’s degree in Biochemistry/Organic Chemistry. He then accepted a research fellowship at West Virginia University where he completed a Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry/Organic Chemistry.
Clyde often said that his greatest accomplishments occurred in August 1956 when he married Joan Luhan and, in September 1962, when his daughter Leslie was born.
Following his graduation from West Virginia University, Clyde accepted a faculty position teaching chemistry at West Liberty State College. During those years, he also served as an adjunct professor of chemistry at Bethany College, West Virginia Northern Community College, and at Wheeling Jesuit College.
After teaching for several years, Dr. Campbell worked in the chemical industry as a Senior Research Chemist with Mobay Chemical Co. in New Martinsville, W.Va.
As a result of his research in the areas of polyurethane plastics, plant pigments, ruminant metabolism, protein synthesis, vitamin A analysis, and the world population and food supply, he published numerous articles in major scientific journals and obtained a total of thirty-one patents.
In 1984, he was appointed President of West Liberty State College (now West Liberty University), and he, Joan, and Leslie moved into the President’s Residence, Colonial Heights (now renamed by Clyde, Liberty Oaks). He served as President until his retirement in 1995.
During his tenure as president, the following was accomplished:
* An active alumni association was developed with over 14,000 alumni and 10 national chapters.
* Through the alumni association, a number of campus enhancements were accomplished, including the Alumni Entrance Gate, the flagpole keystone monument, and a vibrant scholarship program.
* The bonded indebtedness of all residence halls, which totaled $9 million, was paid in full.
* The West Liberty State College Foundation and the first Development Office for the college were established and staffed.
* The total assets of the Foundation exceeded $1 million for the first time.
* The College was accepted into full membership of the NCAA; the first of the four-year colleges in the West Virginia Athletic Association to do so.
* The Warwood Middle School building (formerly Warwood High School) was purchased from the Ohio County Board of Education.
* The old Kruger Street School was purchased from the Ohio County Board of Education.
* Branch campuses were started in the Warwood and Elm Grove sections of Wheeling.
* More restrictive admission requirements for students were adopted.
* A student Learning Center was established and staffed.
* A total of 4,766 students obtained their degrees at West Liberty State College.
Several years after his retirement from West Liberty, Dr. Campbell served as the interim president of Jefferson Community College in Steubenville, Ohio.
Some of his professional involvements included the following:
- Member and president, Ohio County Board of Education
- Member and chairman, Board of Directors, Ohio County Heart Association.
- President, West Liberty State College Alumni Association.
- The American Chemical Society.
- The West Virginia Academy of Science.
- The Society of Sigma Xi.
- The Gamma Symposiarch’s.
- Founder and member, Jefferson Community College Foundation; Founder and member, Warwood High School Alumni Association. Board of Directors, Wheeling Area Habitat for Humanity.
- Board of Directors, Progressive Bank, NA
- West Virginia Association of College and University Presidents
- Chairman, Advisory Board of the WV Regional Consortium for Science, Mathematics, and Technology.
- He taught an adult Sunday school class at the Warwood United Methodist Church for 56 years.
In June 2005, Clyde was honored by having West Liberty State College dedicate and name the small park area south of Main Hall as the “Clyde D. Campbell Alumni Park”.
In May 2014, the newly constructed building on the campus of West Liberty University that would house the academic programs of chemistry and other health professions, including Dental Hygiene, Nursing, Physician’s Assistant, Audiology, and several others was opened, dedicated, and named “Campbell Hall”.
In May 2015, Clyde was inducted into the “Wheeling Hall of Fame”.
After his retirement in 1995, Clyde and Joan returned to their residence in Clearview where Clyde now had time to pursue his many hobbies which included coin collecting, piano, billiards, jelly making, model building, reading, jogging, and walking. According to actual daily records and as part of his 1978 heart attack recovery program, Clyde ran and jogged over 21,000 miles.
By his own admission, Clyde’s greatest pleasure, satisfaction, and love came from being involved with his family: Joan, Leslie, and his three grandchildren, Emily, Hannah, and Colby.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to the WLU Foundation – Dr. Clyde Campbell Scholarship, 208 University Drive, West Liberty, WV 26074, or online at wlufoundation.org/tribute-gift.
Arrangements by Kepner Funeral Home, 900 National Road, Wheeling, W.Va., (304-232-2732)
Condolences can be offered for the family at WWW.KepnerFuneral.com.
